AALBORG:Aalborg Pirates took a small but important step forward in the ice hockey playoffs on Tuesday evening. With a 4-2 win at home over Rungsted Seier Capital, they have now won two matches in the quarter-final series – once morest the Zealanders’ only win.
However, it was tough for the people from Aalborg, who were matched hard by stubborn Rungsted for 60 minutes. Otherwise, Aalborg Pirates came flying into the match and tackled so that it resounded in front of 3000 spectators in the Sparekassen Danmark Isarena.
Aalborg Pirates – Rungsted Victory Capital 4-2
- Ice hockey, Metal League
- DM quarter-final, third match
- Periodecifre: 2-1, 0-0 2-1
- Goals: 1-0 Jeppe Jul Korsgaard (3.23), 2-0 Ian Edmondson (3.57), 2-1 Lucas Andersen (19.56), 3-1 Matt Salhany (45.18), 3-2 Brett Thompson (55.44), 4- 2 Matt Salhany (59.42)
- Expulsions: Aalborg 3×2 min, Rungsted: 1×2 min.
- Spectators: 2983
- Aalborg Pirates leads 2-1 in games. Best-of-seven quarter-finals are played.
SHOW MORE
The players were clearly keen to show the fans that the 2-11 meltdown in Friday’s first quarter-final was a mistake. At the same time, the pirates proved to be extremely effective and struck following just over three minutes of play on one of their first opportunities.
Jeppe Jul Korsgaard was lightning fast over a return puck and sent it flat into the net before Rungsted’s keeper had time to react.
History repeated itself just 30 seconds later, except this time it was Ian Edmondson who pounced on a rebound. The Canadian sent the puck unmarked under the crossbar to make it 2-0.
George Sørensen was excellent in Aalborg Pirates’ goal, but at the end of the 1st period he was at his mercy when Rungsted were two once morest one. Photo: Martin Damgård
However, Rungsted was not prepared to give up without a fight and at the end of the first period put good pressure on George Sørensen’s goal. With just four seconds until the break, they even played the Pirates’ defense thin and reduced the Aalborgenses’ lead to 2-1.
Rungsted took the momentum with them to the 2nd period and seemed to be in surplus in both speed and physicality. 12 minutes into the period, Aalborg’s defense also had their pants completely off, but George Sørensen made a miraculous save on the line and incredibly prevented the equaliser.
With two minutes left in the 2nd period, it was also Rungsted who got the first opportunity of the match in the power play, but here the home team’s box play worked well, and they were able to take the 2-1 lead into the last 20 minutes.
Julian Jakobsen fell on the ice in the 2nd period, but the match’s referee quartet, to the great regret of the Pirates fans, did not see any punishable offence. Photo: Martin Damgård
Pirates came out significantly better in the 3rd period and now once more looked like a team with a surplus – as they had done in the first quarter of the match. Five minutes had been played when the pressure paid off. Matt Salhany was suddenly free – albeit with his back to the goal – but the American still managed to dispatch the puck over the line to make it 3-1 for the home team.
Aalborg Pirates then had their first powerplay chance in the match, but they failed to take advantage of it. With six minutes to go, Rungsted instead got the opportunity in the five-on-four game, and they were differently effective and reduced the score to 3-2.
It was tough, but with the utmost of their nails, the Aalborgenses saved the storm, and in the end Matt Salhany was able to make it 4-2 in an empty net with 18 seconds left.
Aalborg Pirates beat Rungsted 4-2
